Bertie's first preference is a trip to Croke Park

IT was just another Sunday for Bertie Ahern, man of the people and Taoiseach in waiting. He was due in Croke Park for the KildareLaois football match, but the question was: how would he arrive?

A GAA source was adamant he would walk from his Drumcondra home, same as ever. A garda on Clonliffe Road had heard nothing but was reassuring: "Don't worry, you'll see him a mile off. He'll be kissing all the women he meets."

The Fianna Fail handlers were unenlightening. "Get real," one of them said when asked about Bertie's travel arrangements. "He's going to a football match. It's as simple as that."

But it wasn't as simple as that any more. After an election campaign which has turned the former anorak wearer into a likely Taoiseach, Bertie could no more have walked to Croke Park yesterday than Sylvester Stallone.

Sure enough, minutes before the throw in, he arrived by car and was driven straight to the Jones Road gate. He paused to answer questions from British television crews, already looking and sounding like a Taoiseach.

But inside, the price of his newly acquired importance was obvious as an ardent Laois woman leaned across the railings and begged: "Will you give us a hug, Bertie?"

Among those waiting to greet him in the VIP box was Kildare man Charlie McCreevy. It was notable that Mr McCreevy started the game sitting a row behind his leader, before being promoted to the front bench beside him.

What they talked about nobody knows, but it might have had to do with making up numbers. In a stormy start to the match, Kildare suffered a double sending off. Thus, like Fianna Fail and the PDs, Kildare found themselves two short of a majority but they responded well and, helped by a Laois team which played like 15 independents, went on to win.

At halftime, Bertie descended from the stand to meet his people. "Could you do something about that referee in there?" a Kildare supporter asked.

While a week is a long time in politics, Bertie will no doubt line out again next Sunday when his beloved Dubs take on John Bruton's Meath.